James t



(No Model.)

J. T. FOX.

HAND STAMP. No. 448,606. Patented Mar. 17, 1891.

Wit name I I -p' UNITED STATES PaTnN'r OFFICE.

JAMES T. FOX, OF SHERMAN, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL V. PORTER, OF SAME PLACE.

HAND==STAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,606, dated March 17, 1891. Application filed October 18, 1890- Serial No. 368,602. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES T. FOX, a citizen I of the United States, and a resident of Sherman, in the county of Grayson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Stamps; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap- 1o pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 isa section.

The invention relates to improvements in hand-stamps; and the object is to provide a stamp which will be especially convenient for use in business offices in marking files, bills, letters, and other papers with the commonlyused business phrases of memoranda, directions, (to.

The invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the said drawings, the letter A refers to a polygonal block or plate of wood or other suitable material and of suitable size and thickness. In the drawings this block is shown as being hexagonal, but in practice it may be formed with any suitable number of sides or angles. These sides or edges have a flat surface, and to one or more of the sameis secured, by glue or other suitable means, a rubber strip a, having on its face suitably-formed type, as at a. One of these strips may be secured to each side of the block or plate, if desired, each having different words or characters formed therein, the type also being, if desired, of different sizes and styles on the different strips.

One or more edges of the block or plate are usually adapted to receive and retain movable or interchangeable type, and this is accomplished by cutting away the edge or side of the block, forming shoulders e, and in such cutaway portions are secured guides or holders D, which consist of strips of metal bent or turned up at their edges to form the spring sidesf. At about their center these sides are depressed inwardly, as shown at g, thus hearing against and securely holding the typestrips placed in said holder, at the same time providing for their easy removal when it is desired to substitute other forms of type. These holders are of about the same thickness or width as the block A,and are secured thereto by small screws g, as shown.

The block or plate may be of any desired size or thickness and may have any suitable number of sides or edges, their number, however, being sufiiciently limited to prevent the type carried by one strip from interfering with the impression made by the type-strip of the adjacent edge. It will be observed that this block or plate which carries the type also serves as the handle for the stamp.

The number of sides having the stationary strips secured thereto and those provided with the holder for the removable type may be va- 7o ried as desired by the manufacturer.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The hand-stamp comprising the polygonal block or disk having some of its edges provided with rubber type-strips securely fastened thereto, its other edges cut away to form shoulders, spring-metal guides or holders secured in said cutaway portions, and typestrips removably secured in said guides or holders, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES T. FOX.

Witnesses:

Geo G. BELL,

F. W. BATSELL. 

